Veterans Affairs committee  That's okay. The programs that could be added with, perhaps, additional funding and, definitely, more resources would include follow-ups from the lifeshops. What we're doing right now is an initial lifeshop and a small follow-up. I would like to do retreats number two, three and four, which focus on different things for our veterans.

Veterans Affairs committee  I don't believe that another centre like ours exists in Canada. There are some for men. There are probably some for men and women, but there is nothing like that just for women. Ours is unique. There is a need for this across the country. Right now, we have retreats at our centre, but I also travel across Canada to deliver the same services from Comox to Gagetown, Halifax, Wainwright and North Bay.

Veterans Affairs committee  I do.

Veterans Affairs committee  With regard to service dogs, absolutely. Yes to that, hands down.

Veterans Affairs committee  A pepper pod is a military manouevre. While you're advancing towards the enemy, you cover your buddy, so we call it “pepper podding” or “pepper potting”. It's designed to help your buddy or to cover your buddy to make sure they are safe while you're advancing towards the enemy. I thought that was quite appropriate for our centre, that as we go through changes in our lives we support one another.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is very discouraging, and I understand why they would say that. With the women I see going through The Pepper Pod, I would say that close to 70% of them have been abused, from harassment to rape, and so I can see why they would say that. Personally, I would drive my daughter to the recruiting centre so she could join, but I would arm her with a mentor, some guidelines and some advice.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, absolutely. Thank you for the question. Yes, the book was published. It's called Out Standing in the Field, and in French it's Seule au front. They are making it into a movie starting in the fall, so it's—

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, the panic was directly related to my publishing this memoir of my time in the forces and facing those demons—

Veterans Affairs committee  —after 25 years, putting them on paper and knowing that my secrets no longer would be secret.

Veterans Affairs committee  I can tell you that it is evolving. My last few groups were saying how pleased they were with some of the service they've had, despite the fact that the delays were so long and really difficult to handle. Apart from that, yes, the services are getting better from the point of view of the participants.

Veterans Affairs committee  To answer the first part of the question, I don't have the number of women who are couch surfing. As a matter of fact, at The Pepper Pod, we offer two things. First of all, we offer respite for women who need a shelter temporarily. Also, during Christmas or New Year's, or periods of tough times, we offer single women to come and spend the holidays with other women.

Veterans Affairs committee  I don't have all of the specific details of their claims. What the women are telling me is that, first of all, a lot of women have backaches and sore knees, and they're telling me that a lot of their claims have been denied because they could not prove that there were significant injuries during their career, or that their career was a direct cause of their injuries.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, absolutely. One of the core programs we have is called “Lifeshop”. It's a weekend retreat. Eight to to 10 women come to the centre. For the most part, they don't know each other. They're scared. They're anxious. They're nervous about the weekend. They don't know what they're getting themselves into.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I also thank all the members of the committee. Thank you, also, my dear esteemed veteran colleagues. On March 15, 2017, at 9:15 in the morning my editor called me to say that I was going to be a published author. The memoir that I had just spent the year writing, about my time in the military as an infantry officer, was going to be published in three weeks.